UTICA, N.Y. – Fresh of a sweep of The Sage Colleges on Saturday, the St. John Fisher College softball team carried over its hot hitting on Sunday as the Cardinals took both ends of an Empire 8 doubleheader at Utica College.  With the wins, Fisher improved to 12-11 overall and sits atop the conference standings at 4-0.  The Pioneers finished the day sporting an 8-12 overall mark.

FISHER 7, UTICA 1

Following two scoreless innings of play, the Cardinals would take the lead for good in the third frame after Emily Trotman helped her own cause with a single to center that plated Maddie Klidonas who had led off with an infield single.

Holding a one-run lead in the sixth, Fisher put up a crooked number as the Cardinals came up with three runs on four hits.  Sarah Kubik led off the inning with a towering solo home run to center field before Grosvenor belted her fourth home run of the weekend to make it 3-0.  From there, Sammie Torlish walked and Jessica Sardina singled to keep the inning going.  With two on and one away, Klidonas dropped a bunt single before an error allowed Torlish to scamper home to make it 4-0.

The Cardinals struck again in the top of the seventh with three more runs including a big two-run single by Torlish.  Facing a seven-run gap with just three outs left in play, Utica would get one back in the bottom of the seventh, but Trotman closed the door on a comeback bid to earn her eighth win of the year.

Overall, Trotman pitched seven innings and allowed just one run on seven hits.

Grosvenor was 2-for-4 in the win with a home run and an RBI while Trotman had two hits in four at-bats.  Torlish had a day after the sophomore went 3-for-3 in the win with two RBI and a run scored.

FISHER 12, UTICA 9

After a scoreless first inning, the Cardinals came up with five runs on four hits in the top of the second.  Torlish carried over her hot bat in the finale and led off the inning with a single to left.  Sardina reached on an infield error that allowed Torlish to score before Klidonas walked.  With two on and one out, Julia Sortisio singled in a run and stole second to put a runner in scoring position for Trotman who doubled and drove in a run.  Ashley Prince swapped places on the bases with an RBI-double to cap the scoring before the Pioneers could get off the field.

Holding a significant lead, the Cardinals were unable to hold Utica at bay in the home half of the second as the Pioneers erupted for five runs of their own to tie the game up at five runs apiece. 

In the top of the third, the Cardinals broke the tie again with three more runs as Sardina, Sortisio and Troman each drove in a run to make it 8-5.

From there, Utica answered with two runs to pull to within one run, 8-7, but couldn't cool the Cardinals' bats as Fisher pounded four more hits and scored three more runs to open up an 11-7 edge.

Emily Trotman moved to 9-5 with the win despite giving up seven runs on nine hits.  Allison Rogowski had a strong showing in relief after throwing four innings and surrendering just two runs on three hits.

Sardina and Torlish led Fisher with three hits apiece while Prince went 2-for-5 in the win.

Fisher will look to continue its winning ways at 3 p.m. on Tuesday when it travels to SUNY Cortland for a non-conference doubleheader with the Red Dragons.